What do you folks think killed all these suckers? The Eagles and Turkey Vultures lead us to the slaying. There were still some suckers in the creek and you could see they had some battle wounds. Would a bear kill all these and then not eat them?





Magic

Probably somebody over-zealously spearing.

There is a small creek going into East Twin that was full of suckers this weekend, and somebody was spearing them for smoking. He was gone by the time I got there, but there were carcasses scattered around, I'm not sure why they were left.

Could it be from spring high water, then got caught on shore, With scars just from birds?

This was up in the BW. I guess someone possibly made a spear and got a few. I just caught them by hand. :)

Magic

I'm guessing the culprit was human.

quote Jeriatric: "I'm guessing the culprit was human."

It certainly could have been the non-lifejacket wearing cliff jumpers that were yelling, singing, and playing a guitar....and trumpet? across the lake from us. :) Who the hell brings a trumpet into the BW!? I was slept through it but my newphew said it woke him up.

Magic

I think a bear would have ripped open the fish bellies to get to the eggs at least.

quote MagicStik: "

quote Jeriatric: "I'm guessing the culprit was human."

It certainly could have been the non-lifejacket wearing cliff jumpers that were yelling, singing, and playing a guitar....and trumpet? across the lake from us. :) Who the hell brings a trumpet into the BW!? I was slept through it but my newphew said it woke him up.


Magic"

for real ?

I have seen bear a couple of times in the spring catching suckers in the BWCA,also I think wolves would take advantage also. You could also throw in otter.

Each one kind of looks like a bite was taken out,fishing mayb was real good and it just couldn't stop fishing. Maybe a sow and cubs?

I would wager some jerk with a homemade spear and too little between the ears did it. It is a shame (and illegal) but I see stuff like that every spring.

We came upon some eagles fishing a shallow creek sucker run up on Bear Trap last spring. They left several carcasses up on shore when we passed through.

Eagles did this. I've seen them do this many times. Peck a hole in the side and eat the good parts out and leave the rest then go back for another when the fishing is good. They'll clean them up completely when the spawn is over and they are few or harder to catch.

quote shock: "

quote MagicStik: "

quote Jeriatric: "I'm guessing the culprit was human."

It certainly could have been the non-lifejacket wearing cliff jumpers that were yelling, singing, and playing a guitar....and trumpet? across the lake from us. :) Who the hell brings a trumpet into the BW!? I was slept through it but my newphew said it woke him up.



Magic"

for real ?"

Can't make this stuff up. Thankfully we were moving camp anyway the next day.

The female in the group was a pretty good singer and we did enjoy some of the music. :)

Magic

quote JackpineJim: "Eagles did this. I've seen them do this many times. Peck a hole in the side and eat the good parts out and leave the rest then go back for another when the fishing is good. They'll clean them up completely when the spawn is over and they are few or harder to catch.
"

I thought Eagles also as we saw a pair of them sitting on the other end of the lake near another creek. They were sitting there for 2 days. I assume they were fishing also.

Magic

quote JackpineJim: "Eagles did this. I've seen them do this many times. Peck a hole in the side and eat the good parts out and leave the rest then go back for another when the fishing is good. They'll clean them up completely when the spawn is over and they are few or harder to catch.
"

Give that man a prize...classic example of how Eagles feed on spawning suckers had some of you chose to research rather than jump to unfounded conclusions. For what it's worth, grizzly bears do much the same, eating just the good parts only (eggs) when they know there is many more fish to be had...leaving much of the carcass to rot or be fed upon by other critters...and for you wolf lovers they do much the same and the term is called surplus killing, basically means when food is plentiful eat just the good parts...and when it's not plentiful eat the whole thing.

Been in the back country of Yellowstone park just after the Cutthroat trout finished spawning or still are spawning. Was in one area there was so much Grizzly poop that it was hard not to step in it. You walked very careful and looked very carefully for the originator of that pile.
That area we were in didn't let people into that area because of bears until July 1. We were in there on July 1.

Uh, yes, that is ONE possible explanation. I too have seen eagle and bear feeding sites, many times.

However, I have been told by spearers that they leave fish behind when they got too mangled from the spearing. They didn't feel bad about it because they knew animals would clean them up anyway. This is especially the case when you can see entrails and skeins hanging out of the bellies.

quote Moss Tent: "Uh, yes, that is ONE possible explanation. I too have seen eagle and bear feeding sites, many times.


However, I have been told by spearers that they leave fish behind when they got too mangled from the spearing. They didn't feel bad about it because they knew animals would clean them up anyway. This is especially the case when you can see entrails and skeins hanging out of the bellies."

Sorry, but you are wrong in this case. Sounds to me like you have an underlying predisposition against spearers. I never heard of a fish being "mangled" in the process of spearing...you basically get one shot, the fish is on, and you bring them to the surface. It's not like you keep stabbing and stabbing at it...especially in shallow running streams where these suckers were found. A spear is barbed, and believe me it takes some work to remove the fish once speared, thus no need to spear it over and over "mangling" it. The suckers in question were caught and fed on by eagles, as evidenced furthermore by the fact there are no spear holes...and if there were they would be in the top of the fish...not a perfect shot above the pectoral like these suckers display. Do some research and you'll be enlightened to the anatomy of a sucker, and where their liver resides, and then put two and two together. The likelihood these suckers were killed by some evil person with a spear (who packs a 30# spear in the BWCA?!?) is next to nil. Sorry to burst your bubble.

The eagle explanation is almost certainly correct. I've seen the same thing in early spring where Kelso Creek dumps into Sawbill Lake.

A friend of mine has a lodge on Moose Lake and has a similar size creek running through the property. Every year a couple wolves make the same mess of dead suckers. I've watched them pick them out of the creek and leave them on shore. Twice I've gotten to watch the action first hand.

It is interesting most have been ate on in the same spot. Also do you see grab marks like a wolf or bear? Eagle maybe pecking out a little bit the same location?
Where is our Forensic expert when you need him?

quote PINETREE: "
Where is our Forensic expert when you need him?"

three posts above yours

quote RainGearRight: "

quote PINETREE: "
Where is our Forensic expert when you need him?"

three posts above yours"

I think so too. Just looking how they were ate etc..

quote motox380: "Could it be from spring high water, then got caught on shore, With scars just from birds?"

Yeah, we seen a bunch of walleyes this way on vera.

quote TwistedCisco: "

quote motox380: "Could it be from spring high water, then got caught on shore, With scars just from birds?"

Yeah, we seen a bunch of walleyes this way on vera. "

Twisted Cisco...this was on the east end of Vera. When did you see the walleyes? I never did check the west end but that's where we saw the pair of eagles sitting for 2 days.

Magic

quote PINETREE: "It is interesting most have been ate on in the same spot. Also do you see grab marks like a wolf or bear? Eagle maybe pecking out a little bit the same location?
Where is our Forensic expert when you need him?"

I didn't look at them that closely but one of the fish in the water had long marks down it's back...I guess it could have been from teeth or claws. Two fish I looked at only had small wounds by their heads...which looked more like teeth marks.

Magic

quote MagicStik: "

quote TwistedCisco: "

quote motox380: "Could it be from spring high water, then got caught on shore, With scars just from birds?"

Yeah, we seen a bunch of walleyes this way on vera. "

Twisted Cisco...this was on the east end of Vera. When did you see the walleyes? I never did check the west end but that's where we saw the pair of eagles sitting for 2 days.


Magic"

Interesting. I seen one walleye that way and was told that there were a bunch more. It may be they seen the same fish and thought the rest were walleyes.

I have no prejudice against spearers--however, the guy on E. Twin was apparently spearing with a pitchfork, which can, and does, make a mess. Furthermore, since you appear to have seen suckers spawning, you will know that they pile on top of one another and roll around in the water quite a bit, meaning a spear tine can easily enter in any part of the body, in any direction.

I will admit that I haven't looked closely at the original photos, but IMO you are too quick to discount the possibility of spearing. Consider this: there may have been multiple causes--animals AND spearers.

In any case, this thread seems to have produced some good info for the OP.

"Honey, don't forget to pack my pitchfork!"

Ok, you win Moss,I yield.

Honestly, I don't know why any spear is used in these situations--you can literally just walk down to the stream and grab them by hand.

Is that illegal in MN? What do they call it down south, noodling? So we have angling, spearing, netting, etc., all covered by regs, but what about noodling?

The other possibility, and one that I have personally seen, is pet dogs having at it while somebody is spearing (or not). I knew one guy who just used to take his dog down to the river for entertainment, and watch it catch and rip open fish.

I knew a guy that "trolled" a lot..

It is hard to say with 100% certainty what caused this to happen. The likelihood that it was caused by human "spearers" is negligible as I can honestly say that I have never seen someone with a spear in the BWCA during the summer and I spent many, many years guiding trips through all the open water seasons. It certainly could have been overzealous people, catching and pitching them on the shoreline, even using a net that most people take with. However, I would say that in all likelihood it is natural, bear, eagle, fox, mink, fisher, wolf?

I use to spear suckers in the spring and than get them smoked. They just don't look like speared fish,and like mentioned above,I just don't see somebody carrying a spear into the BWCA.
I speared mine in north central Minnesota and it was lot of fun.

quote Moss Tent: "Honestly, I don't know why any spear is used in these situations--you can literally just walk down to the stream and grab them by hand.


Is that illegal in MN? What do they call it down south, noodling? So we have angling, spearing, netting, etc., all covered by regs, but what about noodling?


The other possibility, and one that I have personally seen, is pet dogs having at it while somebody is spearing (or not). I knew one guy who just used to take his dog down to the river for entertainment, and watch it catch and rip open fish."

Yes, it isn't allowed here...in MN
on a side note, you can't jump out of your tree stand and dispatch a deer with your knife, that too is poaching.
Edit: Unless you first shot it.

Pinetree, how did those suckers taste? Would you do it again if they were readily available? Any special smoking procedure? Any bacon involved anywhere along the way?

quote MagicStik: "

quote Jeriatric: "I'm guessing the culprit was human."

It certainly could have been the non-lifejacket wearing cliff jumpers that were yelling, singing, and playing a guitar....and trumpet? across the lake from us. :) Who the hell brings a trumpet into the BW!? I was slept through it but my newphew said it woke him up.


Magic"

I wonder what a Trumpet sounds like when its shoved up someones :-)

quote Moss Tent: "Pinetree, how did those suckers taste? Would you do it again if they were readily available? Any special smoking procedure? Any bacon involved anywhere along the way?"

They are excellent. You split them down the back with head removed and many people soak them in brown sugar and a salt brine before smoking. All kinds of little tricks of the trade There is a lot of recipes out there.
Some add a little rum.


Over the years(I haven't done it for a decade now-it was once the only school day all year I would skip when it opened on May 1 when I was a wee lad in the 1960 era)
I usually speared them than a friend would smoke them and we would split them up between us. There are a lot of good smokers now you can buy at Gander Mountain etc..
My nephew got one and he smokes trout,geese,turkey etc.. with excellent results.

Season use to open May 1 and in the 50's up to the early 90's in north central Minnesota it was extremely popular,but that has dropped off,but you still see people every spring on the creeks.

quote PINETREE: "

quote Moss Tent: "Pinetree, how did those suckers taste? Would you do it again if they were readily available? Any special smoking procedure? Any bacon involved anywhere along the way?"

They are excellent. You split them down the back with head removed and many people soak them in brown sugar and a salt brine before smoking. All kinds of little tricks of the trade There is a lot of recipes out there.
Some add a little rum. "

Birch bark would taste good that way too...lol
I would just drink the rum though...that would help wash the splinters down.

quote Basspro69: "

quote MagicStik: "

quote Jeriatric: "I'm guessing the culprit was human."

It certainly could have been the non-lifejacket wearing cliff jumpers that were yelling, singing, and playing a guitar....and trumpet? across the lake from us. :) Who the hell brings a trumpet into the BW!? I was slept through it but my newphew said it woke him up.



Magic"

I wonder what a Trumpet sounds like when its shoved up someones :-)"

Ha! Like I said...I didn't hear it but the nephew said it sounded like a trumpet. Maybe a bugler playing Taps as the last soldier passed out??? :)

Magic

I remember some member here (perhaps overthehill) canned, or cans, suckers. Euell Gibbons, I think, bragged about canned sucker saying that its naturally sweet taste reminded him of wild hickory nuts.

They can or pickle them.They must put a food dye in them also,for they turn deep red like salmon.

Also I know people who grind them up just like a hamburger and make fish paddies they will store in the freezer. I think the paddies have egg mixed into them also.

off OP...1 year we caught and battered fryed some whitefish we caught out in front of eddy's falls and they tasted awesome (rival walleye) i thought after that why wouldnt suckers taste good out of these clean waters ??? never have tryed it though. (the suckers and whitefish moved in after the walleye spawn)

Just to pan fry,whitefish will be much better than sucker.
Whitefish are very good and under fished in many ways. great eating and a great fighter.